And... here we are, at the end of my tale. It's been a lengthy, developing journey. I know I definitely improved with the help I received; I'm looking forward to testing my skills on a new story in time.

DahserMan1025: To you, my friend, I give an Internet Bag of Cookies. Seriously, your incessant compliments and general sweetness helped fill me with fortitude to continue on, even if I was worried that a particular chapter sucked. Thank you so much!

Lost and Forgotten Memories: Oh no... I wrote "hear" xD Unending gratitude for your kind chiding. Knowing that you'd always be there to pick out any error or loophole in plot, I was forced to keep away from lazy writing. It's rare that I get straightforward critiques, so I'm really thankful. You helped me improve! Thank you for following this story to the end :)

PeterSwarker96: Yay, compliments! Your praise is equally sweet to the critiques, and I will definitely take your thoughts to heart. I didn't like that part either; I didn't want them to rush and be there immediately, but I couldn't come up with decent filler. I hope I fix that in future endeavors (probably not a sequel, unfortunately-I'm terrible with them). Good luck on your writing. I know your story will get even better!

Re-Harakhty: Thank you for your loyal reviews! They always had a big dose of happy personality and made me excited to post each update. I hope you read more of my work in the future. Thanks for taking the time to read this one!

This epilogue is nothing but a big, fluffy, weenie cheese-fest and I get all stupid and giggly just picturing it. It may not be bombastic and up to the same style as the rest, but it closes everything out. And really, who can say no to fluff? Thank you to every last person who read this, even if I don't know your names, I still appreciate it. If you liked this, please look at my other stories. As always, feel free to PM me for any questions, suggestions, requests and have a wonderful day!

Epilogue

Blaze stretched her legs further, the feeling of clean linen enveloping her bare fur. She was wide awake, despite being in the deepest valley of the night's wee hours. A warm breeze billowed the curtains away from the windows, bringing with it the rhythmic sound of ocean tide. The lavender feline pouted slightly—why couldn't she fall asleep? Outside, the blue-inked twilight of morning was just beginning to alter the blackness of night. She huffed, disappointed at her lack of exhaustion. A rattle from her curtained, glass French doors between the windows caused her to cease wriggling in the blankets and sit up.

"Hello...?" She slapped a hand over her face. Honestly, who was she expecting to answer? It was four-thirty in the morning and it had been three months since anyone from Mobius had visited. Besides, none of them were impolite enough to climb the vines on the outside of the castle just to get to her room. How rude. Her arms slipped over her head in a stretch-and-yawn combo.

Must have been the wind.

"If I told you I'd come back..." a gruff voice suddenly erupted from past the curtains. Blaze froze. The doors rattled louder. The voice growled, "Chaos, how does this thing work?" Feeling a burst of hopeful adrenaline in her chest, Blaze jumped from the edge of her bed and ran to the doors. She reached between the curtains, gripped the handles firmly and yanked them open. A silhouette lit by the bright twin moons was revealed by another gust of wind pushing aside the fabric. Shadow's frown dissipated, leaving a haughty smirk in its place. Garnet eyes flicked up and down the princess' form.

"Well, I prefer red myself, but I don't think I could have asked for a better greeting."

Ignoring her embarrassment at being caught in a short, purple-silk nightgown, Blaze nearly tackled the black hedgehog in front of her. Encased in her slim arms, Shadow gently wrapped his own around her as he returned the longing kiss. Her violet aroma clouded around him.

Blaze pulled away briefly, "You're back... you really came back..." She reached up, cradling his face in her hands and stealing another forceful kiss. Warmth having nothing to do with her ability blossomed in her veins. There was only one word to describe the state of her being: ecstasy. Shadow scooped her into his arms princess-style and marched back into the bedroom. He escaped from her hungry lips, legs slightly wobbly from their reunion.

"Yes, I came back... and I'm exhausted, so back to bed it is." Not waiting for an answer, he gently laid his beloved back onto her massive bed. Ignoring the blush that had begun to spread from her face to the rest of her body, he crawled over her and collapsed on the other side. A contented sigh escaped his lips and Blaze wondered absently if hedgehog quills left marks on mattresses. Opening one inky lid, he raised an arm and beckoned at her. Blaze tentatively rested her head in his shoulder.

"Is that all? You cut me deep, Your Highness."

She pressed the rest of her body against his indignantly, tangling bare legs and using her toes to push off his shoes. They clattered heavily on the floor. Shadow's muscles relaxed and Blaze concentrated on inhaling his coffee scent while burying her fingers in his white chest fluff. A few minutes passed in pleasurable silence. Finally, the royal spoke.

"I missed you."

Shadow hummed softly, lifting his head to kiss her hair. He whispered into her loose locks, "I missed you too. You won't believe how hard I worked to... distract myself..."

"You could've visited," Blaze murmured.

"I wanted to... but I knew if I saw you again I'd take you back and to Hell with your planet."

Blaze chuckled, "That's not very heroic." Shadow's shoulders moved beneath her head in a shrug.

"I never said I was a hero."

"I think I... like that," Blaze murmured back. She slipped her hand down Shadow's chest and found his, weaving their fingers together. She smiled at the sight of purple on black. Then, she lifted their hands in realization.

"You're not wearing gloves!"

Shadow shifted up onto his elbow and peered down at her, garnet eyes nearly shining in the dawn light, "I didn't want any obstacles when I came to see you." He brushed his palm against her cheek and tilted her face to his, "I wanted to touch you as soon as I was able." Tan lips brushed white and a steady rumble filled the room as Blaze purred happily. Shadow snickered into their kiss.

"At least I'll always know what makes you happiest."

"Shut up and kiss me again." Forceful fingers wove into his quills. Not needing to be told twice, Shadow eagerly complied and the last few hours of night melted into the sound of purring.

Mid-morning sun filtered through the windows, casting patches of warm sunlight on the white carpet. Birds were chirping noisily.

Blaze shifted in her sleep, a faint mew escaping in the deep of a dream. Shadow pulled her closer to him, curling around so her legs were cradled in his own. Her lengthy tail had found a new home, wrapped securely around his ankle lest he attempt to escape while the princess slept. Shadow chortled to himself, thinking about how their passionate kiss had quickly dissolved into Blaze falling asleep on him. The GUN agent trailed a spidery black hand up Blaze's pale arm.

Poor thing must have not been sleeping well. He pressed his face into her hair and inhaled, a quiet moan of pleasure rumbling at the back of his throat. Blaze's ear twitched and she stretched her arms across the bed.

"Morning already...?" she mumbled. Shadow mentally noted how much he liked her sleep-soft voice. He'd have to spend the night more frequently. He placed a kiss by her ear.

"Don't rush to get up... I called Marine ahead... She made Gardon clear your schedule."

"Oh good," Blaze's lips curled into a sleepy smile. "I needed a day off." Shadow continued stroking her arm as she allowed her grogginess to wear off. Hooking a finger under her hair, he pressed a kiss to the downy fur no longer blocked by chunky gold collar. The purple cat sighed at his touch.

"So..." she turned over in her blankets to look at him, gold eyes still dull from tiredness. "How is everyone? I haven't heard a single thing in months."

"Well," Shadow leaned back on the pillow, staring at the silk canopy above, "Knuckles and Rouge have been scarce. Busily enjoying the throes of new love." Blaze hummed. The black hedgehog continued, "Amy convinced Sonic to go out with her..."

"Silver's not going to like that," Blaze's face broke into a grin. "I think he developed a bit of a crush on her during their fake relationship. He won't stop asking about how she's doing." Shadow looked at Blaze sidelong, the corner of his mouth turning up in a knowing smile.

"I don't think he'll be too upset... They broke up last week. Sonic realized the only reason he told Amy he loved her was because of the Scepter's influence. He told her that he wasn't ready for a steady relationship after all. You're lucky," Shadow rubbed his temples, "she tried to hitch a ride with me so she could 'come visit' Silver."

The pair shared a laugh at the irony.

"Love triangles are such a strange thing," Blaze mused. Shadow nodded lazily before sitting up. Blaze followed suit, stretching for the umpteenth time before leaning on the hedgehog. After a few peaceful minutes passed by and the dissonance of the city began to increase, Shadow stood from the bed and began to pull on his shoes. As he wandered through the room, Blaze rooted around by her pillows for her hair ribbon. She spoke with a teasing note as she attempted to recreate her ponytail.

"So, my dear knight, what were you planning to do after stealing into my chamber like a vampire? Were you going to woo me and depart?" Said 'knight' returned from the closet area, carrying a set of clean clothes which he placed on Blaze's lap. She gave him a questioning look.

"It's been three months," he said simply.

Blaze cocked her head, "And?"

Shadow leaned down on his fists, an arm on either side of the princess, "Have you managed to decrease your connection to the Scepter?" Blaze shoved him aside playfully and clambered out of bed, taking her clothes behind her privacy barrier. Shadow watched the nightgown as it flipped over the top, Blaze's hands fiddling around in the deep-purple sleeves of her tailcoat. Her voice made its way across the room.

"Presumably. I managed to collect a few of the Sol Emeralds to pass the time. I've also moved the Scepter to a hidden room in the castle, where it's protected by an elite group of soldiers. Besides," one of her legs poked out, snaking into her white riding pants. She emerged, straightening her fluffy gloves, "Marine and I returned from sailing to the farthest side of planet a few days ago. I felt no tug, or any sign that I would be harmed should I take a vacation."

Shadow handed her her shoes, "Then come with me."

Blaze looked up at him as she pulled on the Oxford heels, "Where to?" The dark hedgehog looked out the window and images of all his favorite places on Mobius flooded his mind. Moments passed and he shrugged as he turned back to the lavender feline beside him. She linked arms with him and smiled hopefully.

"I think," he said, "I'll figure that out as we go. Who knows," garnet eyes met gold, a glint of mischief sparking between them, "serendipity may strike."

Blaze laughed, "That is terribly cheesy, but I like it. It... fits."

Shadow smirked. Yes, it fit nicely.

Advents in Serendipity

Fin